1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to antimicrobial compounds having low toxicity, excellent solubility in water, and low irritation to the user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bis-quaternary ammonium compounds, such as acrylic alkyleneoxylated bis-quaternary ammonium compounds, have been formulated into shampoo and cosmetic cleansing compounds as mildness additives for the detergents therein; see U.S. Pat. No. 4,110,263. However, for these and other applications, where effective antimicrobial properties are needed, it is desired to provide compositions including such compounds which show enhanced antimicrobial activity, as compared to the individual compounds therein, and which also exhibit low toxicity, high solubility in water, and, moreover, little or no skin irritation for the user.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a composition comprising (a) a blend of bis-quaternary ammonium compounds and (b) a copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone and an acrylamido or vinyl quaternary ammonium monomer, which composition exhibits high antimicrobial activity, low toxicity, is water-soluble, and does not irritate the skin.
These and other objects and features of the invention will be made apparent from the following description herein.